I remember a friend of mine, Angel, introducing me to a supposed body of "essays" by Sedaris, Naked. I soon learned, however, that "Naked" was merely a collection of unrelated, and probably exaggerated, personal memoirs. Some of the stories had a point, while others didn't.
I remember thinking to myself after reading Naked, "Well, isn't that petty?" Why is it that seemingly everything written since The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is bogged down in a masturbatory kind of personal obsession? Don't get me wrong- I really liked Naked. Sedaris presents himself as intelligent, worldly, and charming. But I also felt strongly that the book was an otherwise pointless exercise.
It's petty, and it's because of this petty self-obsession that nationally our arts and humanities are stereotypically considered petty subjects by plenty of people (Come on, English majors! Don't act like you don't get weird looks when people ask why you major in what you do! Why do you think the university and universities everywhere now only offer humanity programs as coupled with degrees in "Education"? Academic-Industrial Complex, anyone?)
The arts have become equally as self-obsessed. That a world-wide economic crisis hasn't prompted some people to re-evaluate just why and how-the-hell their tax dollars have wound up supporting museums (which would never stand on their own in the market) full scrbbles, blank canvases and "art" like piss christ is simply baffling. At least self absorbed shit like 808s & Heartbreak comes from and is supported by people who pay to play, rather than a collective gov't effort impossible to opt out of.
Orwell had a point, as did Montaigne, and it pisses me off when I realize that writing simply isn't an occupation people with points consider viable. People like Orwell in our society don't even consider writing a book or starting a blog, because the market and the blogs are already full of masturbatory porn- people obsessed with having themselves and their personality be the focus have already taken over the news, music, academia, creative writing, and who knows what next. Why would someone with good ideas even go there?
Now, Orwell, there's an author worth emulating!
That's not to say that an author can ever be disconnected with his or her work. What you write is always about you, to a point- but it shouldn't be all about you. My post here isn't about me- it's about a lot more than that- but when you read it it should be apparent that it's written by a pessimistic person concerned with the relevancy of his probable future profession.
There's an important distinction with you showing through your writing- like Orwell- and your writing existed merely as means for you to show people who cute or clever or trendy or intellectual you are. Somewhere in the 60s and the birth of Gonzo journalism, that distinction started disappearing, and now it's all but erased.
I realize this is kind of an unfocused (and maybe unfair) rant... but isn't that what blogs are for?
